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Wednesday, July 15, 2015

Holding Your Tongue

Recently, I had an interview for a job at the cosmetics
counter of a local department store. Phase one was a phone interview, and when
the woman on the other end asked me why I wanted to work in cosmetics, I began
my response with, “Not to buy too much into the beauty myth, but.” Amazingly, I
was invited to interview in person, although I didn’t end up getting the job.

I was surprised to have the opportunity to meet the next
person in the chain of command because running my jaw tends to get me in
trouble. Throughout the years, I’ve said all sorts of things I shouldn’t. A few
times, serious consequences have followed. Holding my tongue seems to be the
best strategy, but it’s easier said than done, if you’ll forgive the cliché.

Fictional characters are lucky. They can say what they want
with impunity from the author. (Other characters? Not so much.) I encourage
writers to try out all sorts of dialogue for their characters. It may help you
find the right voice for that character or even the best direction for the
story. In some cases, doing so could be therapeutic for you, the writer, but it
can also be dangerous.

Sylvia Plath agonized over the autobiographical nature of
her novel The Bell Jar. Anyone who
has ever drawn inspiration from their own lives will know a bit of that
feeling. In Plath’s case, she was able to make her characters come alive on the
page through drawing from tics of family, friends, and acquaintances. She took
the extra step of first publishing under a pseudonym. Her ultimate success has,
perhaps, proved her literary instincts correct.

But if you’re like me, you tread carefully to forego any drama.
We can create enough of that in our day-to-day lives without adding to it on
the page. Still, we should never be afraid to explore the possibilities, so
long as we’re willing to rein it in and protect others while still remaining
true to our artistic vision.